Newark Police Resent Charge of Lack of Intergroup Understanding

Miffed by criticism which held that the police here were poorly trained in intergroup relations, Police Director Dominick A. Spina has requested the Mayor’s office to shift its intergroup relations orientation course from classes conducted by the National Conference of Christians and Jews to the State Division of Civil Rights or to a city agency.

Recently, Howard J. Devaney, regional director of the NCCJ, testified at a hearing conducted by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, stating that Newark’s policemen are not sufficiently trained in intergroup relations. Mr. Spina has protested to City Hall, and the Mayor’s office has assured him that the local course for policemen will be given hereafter by some other agency and not by the NCCJ.